Folding bed



` l'1 '639,237 Aug' 16-19-27' G. F; slsBowl-:R ET Al.

FOLDING BE Filed March ll, 1921 f 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented ug. 16, 1927.

Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. SISBOW'ER, OF FLUSHING, AND LOUIS E. PITTONI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,y AS- SIG-NORS TO MANHATTAN-ROME COMPANY, BRANCH OF ROME METALLIC BED- STEAD COMPANY, OF LONG SLAND CTY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FOLDNG BED.

Application filed March 11, 1921.

For a detailed description of the present form of our invention, reference may be had to the following specification and to the acy companying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein- A Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of the bed in its distended condition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof in course of its operation;

Fig. 3 shows it contracted.;l

Fig. 4 is a plan, and

Figs. 5 and 6 show a modification.

Our invention consists in a form of telescoping or nesting bed wherein the wire fabrics of the two parts are connected by an overlapping fiexible spreader forming.v

in effect, a lap fabric that bridges across beM tween the two parallel fabrics when in their distended relation, and folds in between them when they are contracted. W e have also devised an improved formi of linkage between the two parts of the bed including an arrangement of aiding springs which when the parts are distended act in a contracting direction and when they are contracted act in a distending direction. By this means the force required to operate the couch becomes extremely small.

Referring to the drawings, A and B are 3o two bed frames, the former being stationary and provided with four legs, prleferably without casters, and the latter being mov# able and provided with only two legs which are located at its outer edge and provided with casters. These two frames are nested one within the other when the bed is closed and spread apart when it is opened. At the inner edge of the movable frame, at each end thereof, is pivoted the upper extremity of an arm of a deep U-bar D. The

U-bar D acts as one side of the rectangular frame B to resist the longitudinal tension of its wire mattress fabric and also serves: as a connecting member between the two frames. Upon the inner sides of the arms of the ijbar are secured brackets which are provided at their lower ends with diverging or Y- branches d, ai". Said branches are respectively connected to the lower cross bar A2 of frame A by the crossing links X and Y.

A spring 1, which tends to draw together the frames A and B to contract the bed, is

interposed between the outer end of link X and the lower cross-bar A2 aforesaid, while Serial No. 451,509.

a similar spring 2. which tends to draw apart the two frames to distend the bed, is interposed. between the outer end of link Y and the said cross-bar. The springs 1 and 2 each connected at one end to the lower cross bar A2, the other ends being connected to the respective point-s of pivotal connection between the brackets 'd1 and al'l and the links X and Y. The horizontal portion of U-bar D is shown at E. This bar is not only the connect-ing member between the two frames, but also serves as a strut member for one side of frame B.

"/V hen the bed is closed, as it is in Fig. 3, the movement of frame B to the right will cause the parte to assume the positions. shown in F 2, this movement being aided by spring 2. Then a further movement brings them into the positions shown in Fig. 1. The later part of this movement. is resisted by the spring 1 which comes into tension shortly after the middle position shown in Fig. 2 is passed. By this means the opening is extremely easy at the start, by the help of spring 2, and is cushioned at the end by spring l, so that the movable section finally sinks very gently into its ultimate open or distended position as shown in Fig. 1. The closing movement is the reverse of that just described. In both movements the springs tend to aid the start and resist the iinish of the movement.

On each of the frames A and B is stretched the usual wire mattress fabric. On top of these fabrics, as shown in Fig. 4t, we place an overlapping spreader C. Preferably this consists of a sheet of canvas secured at one edge to one edge of the wire fabric on frame A and atits other edge to the middle of the wire fabric on frame B. When the two frames are closed together the spreader C naturally folds in, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. An important feature of the spreader is that it overlaps both fabrics, one of them to a substantial extent, and bridges the gap between them, as appears in Fig. l, when the frames are extended. Thus the pull or stress on the spreader C, caused by the weight of a person lying on the wire fabric of frame A, will be transmitted across to the fabric of frame B and be well distributed therethrough. This will largely overcome the effect of the, gap between the two fabrics and the two will act substantially as one continuous mattress fabric reaching from edge to edge of the distended frames.

la some cases the canvas sheet C may be replaced by a series of strips C1, as appears in Figs. and G. Each strip is provided with hooks at its two ends which engage the meshes of the fabrics and thus bridges across the gap between them. The strips C1 are lleXible and have a length equal to about half the width of the fabric on frame A. When the fraiiles are opened out, the strips will. be held taut by the wire fabric, as appears in Fig. 5, but when they are closed together, the strips will pivot on the hooks at either end till they lie flat on the left hand half of the fabric of frame A. In both frames the spreader willv fold in and lie flat between the two frames when the bed is closed.

Vhat we claim as new and desire i'o cure by Letters Patent is:

l. A folding bed of the character described comprising a normally stationary section, a relatively movable sect-ion having legs to support the outer side thereof, said movable section being provided with a wire fabric mattress, a U-shaped truss bar having its ends pivotally connectedL to the inner edge of the movable section and to the outer sides of the end bars of said section to resist longitudinal tension of the said mattress fabric, bracket members secured to the inner sides of the ends of said truss bar, said bracketinembers having depending diverging branches at their lower ends, links pivotally connected to the ends of said branches and also pivotally connected with the stationaryv section, and springs each connected at one end of the stationary section and having its other end connected to a bracket branch at positions contiguous to the points of pivotal connection between said links and said branches.

2. A folding bed having two relatively movable frames, wire mattress fabrics on the respective frames, and a folding spreader secured to both fabrics and over-l lapping the gap between them.

8. A folding bed having two relatively movable frames, wire mattress fabrics on the respective frames, and a folding spreader secured to one fabric and overlapping one half of the other fabric.

Ll. A folding bed having two relatively movable frames, wire mattress fabrics on the respective frames and a folding spreader bridging the gap between the two fabrics and secured to them respectively at its edges only.

Signed at Long sland City, Queens County, New York, this th day of March, 1.921.

GERGE F. SSBOW'ER. LUIS E. PTTON. 

